pumpkin Archives - Cyd Notter

My Top 6 Favorite Pumpkin Recipes

November 14, 2020 By Cyd Notter Leave a Comment

The fall season is flying by and Thanksgiving is upon us! If you like pumpkin as much as I do, it’s time to get cooking because pumpkin is only in season for a short time.

I love all things pumpkin (well, almost. I’ve never made pumpkin pasta, so the jury is still out).

By the way, do you know the difference between canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling? Canned pumpkin typically contains one ingredient: cooked, pureed pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling, however, can include a mixture of cooked, mashed winter squash that’s flavored with spices like cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, and a sweetener.

Pumpkin desserts and pumpkin chili are on my favorites list for today! The following tried-and-true recipes get a thumbs up at our house; here they are in no particular order:

Pumpkin Chocolate Loaf – Absolutely delicious! This loaf is dense, chocolatey, and moist. Add a few non-dairy chocolate chips or walnuts, if you’d like. I usually make ‘mini-loaves’ of this recipe for gift-giving.

Pumpkin Walnut Raisin Cake – A yummy, spicy cake that can also be made into bread or muffins.

Pumpkin Raisin Muffins – This one has been in my collection since 2009! I’ve been making it ever since – it’s that good.

Pumpkin Chili – With most pumpkin chilis I’ve tried, you really can’t taste the pumpkin. This recipe provides a slight taste of pumpkin, and the fire-roasted tomatoes give it a nice kick (but not TOO hot). Delicious as-is, or you can serve it over a baked potato or sweet potato.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – Someone brought these to our potluck back in 2015, and they’re great if you enjoy a cake-like cookie. The recipe calls for 1 cup of non-dairy chocolate chips, but I use much less and still have lots of chips in each cookie. Do as you wish!

Impossible Pumpkin Pie – What’s great about this recipe is that the entire thing is made in the blender, and the crust forms on its own as it bakes! I use a 7 x 11 glass Pyrex baking dish which doesn’t need to be sprayed with oil, and also let it bake about 15 minutes longer than suggested. The pie will “set up” in the fridge.

Need a Whipping Cream to top that pie? Try this easy recipe:

Combine these ingredients in a blender:

1 15-oz. can of pears (in water or juice), drained but save the juice. 1-1/2 cups raw cashews, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Blend at high speed until very smooth, adjusting texture by adding more nuts or a bit of pear juice. Refrigerate.

Enjoy!

PS: Here’s another crowd-pleasing dessert: How to make Raw Apple Crumble

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Oil-Free Pumpkin Bread (REALLY good)

February 7, 2019 By Cyd Notter Leave a Comment

In my kitchen, pumpkin bakery isn’t just for fall weather – I love it anytime!

So while searching through my ‘bread’ folder, I came upon this recipe I had printed back in 2010. The time to make it was obviously overdue!

Oil-Free Pumpkin Bread, by www.fatfreevegan.com, was simple to make and I must say it was the most flavorful and moist pumpkin bread I’ve ever baked (the pumpkin was noticeably prominent and yummy).

The recipe calls for “egg substitute equivalent to two eggs.” I made flax eggs. One TBS ground flax and 3 TBS water, blended or whisked until frothy = 1 egg. (So for this recipe, I used 2 TBS ground flax and 6 TBS water, whisked.)

I also used whole wheat flour, and added about 1/2 cup walnuts.

Give this one a try. It’s an official “keeper” in our house, and would probably make great muffins, too!

Four Favorite Pumpkin Recipes

October 9, 2017 By Cyd Notter Leave a Comment

Cool October weather means it’s time to bake something with pumpkin! Before sharing four of our favorite pumpkin recipes, you might be interested to know that cans of organic pumpkin can be purchased at Walmart for $1.88. That’s a deal in my book! If you know of other great pumpkin bargains, feel free to share in the comments.

Impossible Vegan Pumpkin Pie

This is a wonderful pie which you prepare in the blender! It’s gluten-free and forms its own crust as it bakes. The only variations from the recipe that I use are this: Instead of a pie plate, I use a 7 x 11 glass pyrex baking dish and let the pie bake an extra 15-20 minutes than what’s prescribed. When the top and sides are crusty, it’s done – even though the inside will seem mushy. Let it cool, the refrigerate for several hours. The pie ‘sets’ as it cools in the fridge. Top with Dr. McDougall’s Vanilla Cream Sauce if desired (the cream sauce recipe is found at the bottom of the newsletter page).

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These delicious cake-like cookies are easy to make (only 7 ingredients)! Be sure to use non-dairy chocolate chips (such as “Enjoy Life” brand).

Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf

This recipe by Isa Chandra Moskowitz results in a loaf that is both dense and moist – and oh-so chocolatey! It makes a great Christmas gift (or stocking stuffer, too, since you can make 4 small loaves if you have the right pans). Add nuts to the recipe if desired.

Pumpkin Raisin Muffins

This recipe has been a favorite for many years! I first made these muffins in 2009 and have continued making them ever since. The link is no longer on-line, but I’ve posted to the recipe to my website because I feel it’s such a keeper. Be sure to read my NOTES under the recipe.

Enjoy the beautiful fall weather. And if you have a favorite whole-food, plant based pumpkin recipe, let us know!